27 March 2012

3 minute read

Oceania

Target 100 is a commitment by cattle and sheep producers to deliver sustainable production by 2020 through continued investment in progressive research to improve sustainable practices. One hundred research, development and extension programs that cover water, biodiversity, climate variability, soil & groundcover, emissions, social and economic issues have been highlighted on the dedicated platform www.target100.com.au.

The platform will provide consumers and the urban community with the opportunity to learn more about how their beef and lamb is produced. It will also enable them to meet Australian cattle and sheep producers via social media and to join in open discussions with opinion leaders, environmentalists and leading chefs or participate in monthly live forums.

Cattle producer Stuart Barrett said Target 100 is a way to bridge the urban-rural divide and demonstrate how practical ideas and research is delivering sustainable farming.

“We’d love to get everyone out to a farm to show them what we are doing first hand, but that’s not practical. That’s why we’ve developed Target 100 as a way to encourage Australians to jump online and ask a farmer a question or just take a look at what we are doing with the videos, photos and case studies on the website," he said.

“It’s about the industry inviting Australians to find out more about what we do to produce nutritious food for the world’s growing population in the most sustainable way possible.

“Sustainability isn’t something new for us. Many families like mine have been doing this for five generations and over this time we’ve adapted our practices as new research has highlighted ways to improve our practices,” Mr Barrett said.

High-profile Head Chef of Sydney restaurant Becasse, Justin North, who is also well-known for his commitment to sustainability, says that Target 100 is a great step toward advancing sustainable practices and giving Australians a better appreciation of the origin of their produce.

“Australian cattle and sheep farmers are caretakers of nearly half Australia’s landmass and their profitability depends upon the health of the land. They are natural environmentalists who want to leave the land in better condition for future generations. It’s great to see that they are sharing their stories with the public and encouraging an open conversation,” said Mr North.

An advertising campaign will start on March 31 in major metropolitan newspapers and a 60 second advertisement will be screened in cinemas and Qantas inflight and select cinemas.

Mr Barrett said almost 100 cattle and sheep producers have contributed information for the website, but more are needed.

“The success of Target 100 will ultimately depend on the willingness of producers to get behind it and show our urban population what we are doing every day to produce great quality food in a sustainable way. I’d encourage every cattle and sheep producer to take a look at the website, join in an online forum and most importantly upload information about what you are doing – the more producers we have case studies for the stronger the message”, he said.

For more information see http://www.target100.com.au/

TheCattleSite News Desk